NCJ Number
101867
Date Published
1984
Length
40 pages
Annotation
This 1984 report by the Subcommittee on Mentally Ill Offenders under the Maryland Criminal Justice Coordinating Council focuses on improving understanding and identification of mentally ill offenders and their treatment.
Abstract
This report is based on subcommittee discussions with mental health and criminal justice professionals as well as an examination of relevant documents. The subcommittee found a major definitional problem regarding mentally ill offenders, which has presented problems in describing, understanding, and responding to these offenders. This report focuses on offenders who would be clearly diagnosed as mentally ill under any of the various definitions used throughout the State or in the literature. Using even this restricted definition, this report indicates increases in the number of mentally ill persons in Maryland's prisons and jails over the last 5 years. Community services for mentally ill offenders are inadequate, and interagency coordination of services for these offenders has been lacking. The subcommittee concludes that prevention and diversion should be emphasized in addressing the problems of mentally ill offenders. Report recommendations focus on improving community treatment for mentally ill offenders; outpatient civil commitment; improving procedures for pretrial screening for competency to stand trial; and improving the identification, referral, and treatment of mentally ill inmates. Other recommendations address the management of mentally ill women and juvenile offenders, improving understanding of mentally ill offenders, and relevant training for police and corrections personnel.